Prominent Azerbaijani opposition blogger, human rights activist, and former political prisoner Mehman Huseynov published a video with the caption: "The thief Ilham Aliyev and his family are agents of Russia. The Aliyev family has occupied our country."

Mehman Huseynov criticized Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, accusing him and his family of being pro-Russian. As an example, he cited footage from the opening of the president's grandson's restaurant, where conversations were conducted primarily in Russian.

"No, this is not Russia, and the speaker is not a Russian citizen. This is central Baku, and the speaker is Ilham Aliyev's grandson, the son of the 'kayfarik' Leyla Aliyeva. Ilham Aliyev's grandchildren opened their restaurant in central Baku and gathered all the bloggers," Huseynov noted.

He also mentioned former head of the presidential administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, emphasizing that both he and the Aliyev family have ties to Russia: "Russia's most trusted man is Ilham Aliyev and his family. There's no need to look for other agents."

Mehman Huseynov was arrested in Baku on January 9, 2017. Shortly before, he had published photographs online of luxury properties allegedly belonging to government officials. Huseynov claimed to have been tortured after his arrest. He was soon found guilty of slander and sentenced to two years in prison. He was released on March 2, 2019.